Tag: Francis

Some Catholics are celebrating the unprecedented laicization of Cardinal Archbishop Theodore McCarrick. Apparently they missed that McCarrick’s top proteges have ALL been elevated by Pope Francis to the most prominent positions: Blase Cupich as Cardinal Archbishop of Chicago and Francis’ favorite in the US, Donald Wuerl as Apostolic Administrator of Washington, DC, and just this week, Kevin Ferrell as Carmelengo. It’s almost as if Francis is trying to make a point.

P.S. McCarrick is still a Priest and Bishop. Laicization doesn’t take that away (you can’t ‘undo’ sacraments). He simply has no more clerical rights and privileges.

Catholic statists (including the Pope), like to lecture about “just” wages while they all but ignore issues that are a) real, b) causing great harm to families and c) can be fixed without violating Catholic doctrines on subsidiarity and private property rights. Mention this uncomfortable truth and you’ll be cursed, libeled and then blocked (as I was by Comrade Shea over the weekend).

If you are a Catholic (or even just a person of goodwill) and you are interested in practical ways to fix economic inequalities, why not start with the single largest real threat to wages and private property?

The Pope’s most recent scandal brought out all of the usual suspects as defenders, viz., the neo-Catholics, neo-ultramontanists and Ostrich-Catholics. I warned them that their eager toleration of error and active participation in the conspiracy would come back to bite them. Who could have anticipated this little gem from the Pope’s good friend in Canada:

“Pope Francis breaks Catholic traditions whenever he wants, because he is “free from disordered attachments.” Our Church has indeed entered a new phase: with the advent of this first Jesuit pope, it is openly ruled by an individual rather than by the authority of Scripture alone or even its own dictates of tradition plus Scripture.” Father Rosica, speaking of the Pope’s unlimited power

By disordered attachments, he means of course, the Catholic faith, as taught by all of his predecessors and all the ecumenical councils. The Vatican is rushing to remove the quote from all the online sources, which of course is not only laughable but only proves that someone in the curia is aware that these things are not supposed to be said in public.

I’m expecting questions from confused kids over the coming few meals, so I’ll just say it now: Yes, the reports are true, this Pope has in the most formal and authoritative way yet *tried* to change the doctrine of the Church. No, it’s not a secular media conspiracy. No, it’s not a quote taken out of context that he’s declined to correct. No, the Pope cannot change Catholic doctrine. Thus, the confusion.

No, I don’t want to talk about whether the Cardinals will do their duty and confront the Pope for his heresy. No, I don’t want to speculate whether he will repent. No, I don’t want to guess whether the Cardinals will then declare him deposed by God and elect some other Cardinal to fill the vacancy.

No, I don’t want to talk about how one refers to the man who occupies the See of Rome but who is apparently no longer a Bishop of the Catholic Church.

No, I don’t want to talk about whether I can attend a liturgy said “in communion” with a man who is apparently no longer a member of the Catholic Church.

No, I don’t want to talk about whether it is the first time in 1,986 years we’ve had a living Pope emeritus, a living anti-Pope and no actual Pope.

No, I don’t want to talk about why we deserve weak, corrupt Bishops, Cardinals and Popes who hate the faith and the faithful.